Protaras Warnings and Dangers

While you walk on the beach be careful not to step an echinus.
This can also happen while you are simming because these can be found on rocks.

It is really painful when you step on one, and most of the times you need to be carried to hospital because they get deep in the skin and you have to remove it from your feet.

If you happen to step on one put some oil and try to remove the remains.
If not get to the doctor.

Cyprus is a remarkably safe country, with very little violent crime. Cars and houses frequently go unlocked. That said however, it is wise to be careful when accepting drinks from strangers, especially in Ayia Napa or Protaras, since there have been numerous occasions of muggings.

Note also that the numerous Cypriot "cabarets" are not what their name implies but rather brothels associated with organized crime

It is best to avoid discussion of the various merits of the Greek-Turkish divide and events beginning in 1963 in some quarters. Any sully of Archbishop Makarios will be looked down upon.

Discussions on the political situation should be prohibited.

It is advisable to have plastic shoes on when you swim to avoid the danger of being bitten by a dragon-fish (drakena) in Greek.
I had heard of many cases in the past and I have known about these bites from youth. Recently a friend’s daughter was bitten by one and she spent a week in hospital under drip and antibiotics. The pain is unbearable.

It has turned out to be quite common in Cyprus and there should have been signs at the beaches however the Cyprus Tourism Organization does not seem to be bothered about this. It is not deadly but the pain you get from it (if you step on its fin, when the fish hides in sand in shallow water) is just incredible. My friend who urged me to write about it had seen her child screaming so much, with her foot still swollen 2 weeks after the incident which happened at Kourion beach.
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